Archbishop Gansweier recounts the last words of the Pope Emeritus before his death. It is the “witness to the love of God” that characterizes the priestly life of Joseph Ratzinger, as Pope Francis mentioned in 2016.
(Vatican News Network) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s last words were spoken late that night, with only one of his nurses present. That was at about 3 a.m. on December 31, hours before he died. Ratzinger was not in critical condition at the time, and the collaborators and assistants who cared for him were changing shifts, leaving only a nurse who could not speak German.
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, personal secretary of the Pope Emeritus, gave an emotional account of the situation. He said: “Benedict XVI said in a weak but clear voice in Italian: ‘Lord, I love you!’ I was not there but the nurse told me about it later. These were his last words. He can understand the words, and then he loses the ability to express.”
“Lord, I love you!” These words almost sum up the life of Joseph Ratzinger, who has been preparing for many years for his final face-to-face encounter with the Creator. On June 28, 2016, at the opportunity to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the ordination of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Francis said in a speech that the Pope Emeritus has been “witnessing the love of God”, and this love “Fill our hearts” keeps us safe in the storm.
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